Brett DiBiase pleads guilty in relation to embezzlement scandal in Mississippi
It was reported earlier this year that Brett DiBiase, the son of WWE Hall Of Famer Ted DiBiase, was involved in a massive embezzlement scandal in Mississippi.
At the time, it was reported that the former director of the state welfare agency as well as five other people was charged with one of the biggest embezzlement scandals in the history of the office.
Debiase was given money that was intended to go to a drug treatment facility in Malibu earmarked for Mississippi’s welfare programs as he was supposed to teach on drug abuse but never did.
Brett pleaded guilty to making false statements regarding the incident as it was actually true that he did it. Reporter Anya Wolfe of Mississippi Today noted the following notes:
BREAKING: Brett DiBiase is pleading guilty to making fraudulent statements. He is the former pro wrestler charged within what @MSStateAuditor calls the largest public embezzlement case in state history. His luxury drug rehab stay was allegedly paid for with #TANF welfare dollars. pic.twitter.com/pf1FtC2h4G
— Anna Wolfe (@ayewolfe) December 17, 2020
The charge deals with $48,000 he received under a contract with @MS_DHS for work he didn’t complete.
In pleading guilty to fraud, conspiracy charge is dropped. He’s agreed to help the state in its remaining cases. Sentencing delayed. He also presented $5k in restitution today.
— Anna Wolfe (@ayewolfe) December 17, 2020
The case also notes how WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase’s non-profit religious organization, Heart of David Ministries, had received more than $2.1 million in welfare from the state of Mississippi after Brett began working for the State.
The organization was given $5,000 in grants in 2013 yet pulled in $271,000 in welfare money in the same year that Brett just so happened to be hired as a senior official at the Mississippi Department of Human Services. DiBiase’s group received as much as $900,000 one year.
Heart of David Ministries spent all $2,126,739 it received from May 2017 through earlier this budget year while DiBiase Sr. was paid $84,517 as president of the organization.